A Break
by ModdieMod
Summary: Even heroes of The Mushroom Kingdom need a break sometimes. At least, Alby sure thinks so.


"Pops… hey, Pops," Alby called softly, turning around and putting down the notes they were working on. Gadd hummed in response and turned in his swivel chair, raising a thin gray brow and squinting at them behind his large glasses, head tilting inquisitively.

"What is it, Alby?" he asked, folding his calloused hands in his lap as the younger scientist sighed and glanced at the clock on the desk. They took off their glasses, fidgeting with them for a bit before looking back up at The Professor, green eyes full of unease, a sort of grimace on their face.

"It's ten thirty," they mumbled, pursing their lips. The Professor quickly looked at the same clock and grunted in response, a bit confused as to why Alby was making a fuss. Usually, they didn't go to bed until much, much later, letting slumber claim them at unholy hours- why was this a problem?

"So it is," he said slowly, giving a brief nod. Alby fidgeted some more, looking down at the glasses in their gloved hands as they spoke.

"Well… that guy's been in there since seven, I mean.. It's been three and a half hours, Pops," they stammered hesitantly, giving a weak shrug. "Gadzooks..Don't you think he needs… I dunno, like.. Don't you think he could use a break?"

Vague amusement glimmered in The Professor's eyes as Alby spoke, and the corners of his lips twitched. A break? Alby almost never took breaks- and he was positive King Boo and his forces of evil were quite the same. They couldn't afford to take breaks while Luigi's brother was in danger. However… Alby did have a point. All these phantasmagorical experiences had to be draining to their new friend in green, and it would be cruel not to at least offer some sort of refuge, at least for a little while.

"I suppose you're right," he concluded, reaching over for the Game Boy Horror and lightly tossing it at them, chuckling when they yelped and just barely stopped it from hitting the floor. "Ring him up, then. I'll ready the kettle."

Before Alby could say another word, The Professor stood and scuttled away. The young inventor sighed and pressed the call button, shifting as the line rang for a few seconds.

"H-Hello?" Luigi whispered from the other end, static making his voice sound crackly and strange. Alby made sure their mouth was close to the receiver so that he could hear them properly.

"Hey," they greeted, pushing their glasses further up their face as they spoke. "How're you holding up?"

"Me?" Luigi asked in confusion. "I'm… f-fine. Everything's okeedokee."

Alby couldn't help but chuckle at Luigi's answer, but they quickly cleared their throat to mask their amusement.

"Well, that's good. Listen, you just battled this huge goop ghost guy, and you've been at this a while, and.. What I'm trying to say is- you could use a break," they mumbled, biting their lips as silence and static stretched on for a few seconds. Finally, after what seemed to be an eternity, they heard Luigi speak.

"Alby, right? L-Look, my big brother needs me. I can't just take a break while he's in danger," he protested. Alby could almost hear the head shake from their end of the line, and they frowned as Luigi sighed. "Thanks for the offer, but I'm going to have to pass."

"I don't have any siblings," Alby blurted, almost interrupting the end of Luigi's sentence. "So I don't really know what you're feeling right now, but I do know that if you keep going and exhaust yourself, you won't be much help to anyone- especially your brother."

Silence and static hung in the air, and Alby bit down on their lip nervously, fearing they'd gone too far. They shifted their weight from one leg to the other, and swallowed thickly, gripping the Horror tightly in their gloved hand, practically jumping when Luigi finally spoke.

"You're right," he mumbled reluctantly, sighing. "I-I'll, uh.. Be there in a few."

With that, the line went dead, and Alby sighed in relief, putting a gloved hand to their chest, shoulders sagging.

"You look happy," The Professor commented, making Alby jump and give a half stifled yelp. The younger inventor shrugged, putting the GBH on the desk.

"Well, yeah. I..I worry, and stuff, you know that," they said hurriedly, gesturing with their hands. When they received nothing but an amused stare in return, they grumbled and stalked off.

"Whatever. I'm gonna go make some sandwiches."

* * *

It wasn't long before a clang was heard from above, and a sopping Luigi shakily made his way down the ladder, forming a puddle on the ground when he landed. He chuckled and took his cap off, hair plastered wetly to his head.

"Whoops...Sorry.."

Alby shuffled in with a plate of sandwiches, putting them on a high stool they planned on using for a table, and clicked their tongue as Gadd helped Luigi take the Poltergust off.

"Gadzooks! Pops, the poor guy's soaking wet!" they chided, searching for a towel or blanket they could drape over Luigi. "You didn't think to give him an umbrella or something?"

The Professor stared blankly as he walked towards the Machine Room with the Poltergust, giving his thin shoulders a shrug.

"Why? I don't bother using such things," he stated, stifling a laugh at Alby's returning growl.

"One day you'll catch your death of cold!" they called after him, shaking a gloved fist. "And you'll be sorry! Stubborn old man!"

Huffing, they turned back to Luigi, who was blinking in a mix of confusion and amusement. Alby's heart squeezed in pity at the sight of him. He looked exhausted- clothes wet and covered in dust, face smeared with grime, eyes tired..

"Here," they mumbled, shuffling towards Luigi and draping a towel and a blanket over his shoulders. They pulled up a small stool for him to sit on, and clicked their tongue once they noticed him shivering. Without a word, Alby rummaged in the back, pulling out a space heater and plugging it in nearby. They switched it on and shoved it so it was closer to Luigi, putting it on high.

"Better?" they asked, raising their eyebrows. Luigi gave them a grateful half-smile and nodded, leaning into the warmth.

"Much better. Thank you," he murmured. Satisfied, Alby grunted at him and gestured to the sandwiches as they plopped onto the floor, reaching for one and taking a bite.

"Well," they mumbled around a mouthful of peanut butter and jelly. "Dig in."

Luigi eyed the sandwiches briefly and took one, a bit surprised at himself. He'd been so focused on ghostbusting that he hadn't realized just how hungry he really was. Though the sandwich was just a simple PB and J, it tasted like heaven to him, and he couldn't help but gobble it down quickly, reaching for another. He was interrupted by a high pitched whistling, and he quickly retracted his hand, shoulders hunching warily.

"Wh-What's that?" he asked quickly, looking around for the source of the noise. Alby looked perplexed for a second before realization dawned on their features.

"Oh- that's the kettle. Tea's ready," they explained, getting up and rushing off. They soon returned with two steaming mugs, carefully handing one to Luigi before sitting back down on the floor.

"Careful," Alby warned, peeking at him from the brim of their blue mug. "S'hot."

Luigi nodded at Alby, watching in amusement as their glasses fogged over from the heat of the tea. He hid his smile by giving his own mug a good blow before taking a cautionary sip. It was sweet, and almost instantly, he felt a hundred times better. Energy and warmth seemed to course through him, and he sat up a bit straighter, blinking in surprise.

"Like it?" Alby asked, noting his reaction as they took off their glasses and took a sip of their own mug. "Super Mushroom Tea. Made it myself."

"I didn't think there were any good mushrooms around here," Luigi mused, eyeing the hot drink. "All the ones I find in the mansion are poisonous."

Alby shook their head, placing their mug down on the ground beside them as they leaned back on both hands, tilting their head.

"Nah," they elaborated. "Boo Woods actually has a bunch of herbs and stuff. You just gotta know where to look, ya know? Plus, I mean, the place gets such a bad rep, no one really comes here to explore for fun or anything.."

"I wonder why," Luigi joked, giving a snort. Alby rolled their eyes and smirked, waving a hand at him.

"Most Boos leave you alone if you don't mess with them," they stated, giving a shrug. "Unless they're… y'know, being controlled by a crazy, undead lizard monster dude, and a magnum, crowned ghost boss."

The two laughed quietly, and then silence hung in the air once more, only interrupted by the distant clang of machinery, the humming of monitors, and the faint rumble of thunder above. Finally, Alby sighed guiltily, and sat up straight, fiddling with the edges of their gloves.

"Hey, um.. Sorry for what I said earlier," they apologized quietly, staring fixedly at one of the stool legs instead of looking Luigi in the eye. "It was sort of out of line, and I.. I dunno, I was just.. Worried, I guess? If that makes sense? I worry a lot. About a lot of things. Basically what I'm trying to say is-"

"I get it," Luigi interrupted, giving a brief nod. He chuckled a bit before continuing. "It's fine. You were right anyway. Everything's okeedokee."

Alby sighed in relief and nodded, picking their mug back up and taking a gulp. They raised their eyebrow once they caught Luigi staring, and the green clad plumber sheepishly looked away, raising his mug to cover some of his face.

"S-So," he stammered. "You and The Professor live here?"

"Oh, yeah," Alby answered, nodding rapidly. "I grew up here. Boo Woods is my home, I've lived here since I was a baby."

"So The Professor's your… papa?" Luigi questioned, squinting in disbelief. He recoiled when Alby burst into laughter, clutching at their stomach and shaking their head.

"Gosh, no," they snickered. "We're not actually related- he adopted me. I mean.. I guess that does make him my 'papa', in a way."

Suddenly, a particularly loud rumble of thunder resounded throughout the lab, causing both to jump. Alby tensed and hunched in on themselves while Luigi's eyes went wide and he looked about skittishly before it was silent once more. Alby let out a sheepish chuckle and looked over at Luigi, who was rubbing the back of his neck in embarrassment.

"You too?" they asked, surprised when Luigi shook his head and cleared his throat.

"N-not usually," he stammered. "My nerves are just..shot from- the ghosts and-"

"Oh, really?!"

Both youngsters gave another jump, and turned towards the loud voice in question, shoulders sagging in relief and exasperation once they noticed it was none other than The Professor, cackling quietly behind his thin fingers.

"I apologize," he wheezed into his mug of tea, scuttling over to join them and sitting beside Alby on the ground. "I couldn't help myself."

"You're going to kill me of a heart attack one day, Pops," Alby grumbled, giving the inventor a nudge before turning to Luigi. "Sorry- he's like that."

Luigi shook his head, cracking a fond smile.

"It's fine- it's actually something Mario would do," he confessed. Alby raised an eyebrow and shook their head, giggling a bit.

"That's so mean," they commented, watching as Luigi shrugged in response.

"It's his duty as the big brother," he explained, waving a gloved hand. Alby leaned forward, interested.

"Oh, so you're the youngest?" they asked. "Do you have any other brothers?"

This question caused Luigi to give a small laugh and a sigh as he shook his head.

"Mama mia," he breathed. "Having just one is enough, believe me. We do have cousins, though. Distant cousins."

"Wow!" Alby exclaimed quietly. "I wish I could meet them."

Luigi shook his head once more, lips twisting into a sort of grimace as his eyebrows came together.

"Y-you wouldn't want to meet them," he confessed. "They're...they're really one of a kind, I'll tell you that."

"I guess I'll have to settle for meeting Mario," Alby offered. "Y'know, after you save him and all.."

Luigi nodded, and there was some more silence between the three of them. The plumber looked at his now empty mug and at the empty plate in front of him, giving a sigh and standing.

"I should get back to that," he murmured, shaking off the blanket and the towel, folding them and placing them on the stool. "Grazie mille for everything."

"You're quite welcome," The Professor replied, standing and giving a grunt as his knees creaked in response. "You be careful out there, sonny."

Luigi nodded, sighing as he was handed the Poltergust, adjusting the straps as he put his cap back on.

"Hang on!" Alby yelped, rushing off somewhere. They returned with a blue umbrella, giving it to Luigi. "Take this. So you won't get wet and stuff."

Luigi blinked in surprise, and carefully took the umbrella, looking down at Alby gratefully.

"Th-thank you," he stammered, smiling when Alby waved his thanks away and lightly shoved him towards the ladder.

"Yeah, yeah," they muttered. "Just go kick some ghost butt!"

Alby and The Professor waved as Luigi ascended, and before he vanished, they ran over and cupped their hands around their mouth, standing on their tip toes.

"Good luck, Luigi! I believe in you!" they yelled, craning their neck and looking upwards to see if Luigi had heard them. The green capped hero peeked down at them from the hatch and gave a thumbs up and a smile before letting it shut with a clang.


End file.
